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Iodine in autism spectrum disorders

Anna Błażewicz1, Agata Makarewicz2, Izabela Korona-Glowniak3

  • 1Department of Analytical Chemistry, Medical University of Lublin, Poland.

Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology : Organ of the Society for Minerals and Trace Elements (GMS)
|February 9, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Autistic boys in Poland show lower iodine levels and altered thyroid hormones compared to peers. Iodine status correlates with autism symptom severity, suggesting a nonhormonal role for iodine in autism.

Area of Science:

  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  • Nutritional Science
  • Endocrinology

Background:

  • Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition.
  • Iodine is crucial for thyroid hormone synthesis, impacting brain development.
  • The role of iodine in ASD pathophysiology remains underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare iodine status in Polish boys with severe ASD versus healthy controls.
  • To investigate correlations between urinary iodine, thyroid hormones, BMI, and ASD symptoms.

Main Methods:

  • Studied 40 boys with ASD and 40 healthy controls (aged 2-17) from Poland.
  • Measured urinary iodine (UI), free triiodothyronine (fT3), free thyroxine (fT4), TSH, and BMI.
  • Utilized ion chromatography for UI determination and Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) for symptom assessment.

Main Results:

  • 19/40 autistic boys exhibited mild to moderate iodine deficiency.
  • Autistic boys had significantly lower UI, fT3, fT4, and higher TSH than controls.
  • Urinary iodine negatively correlated with overall ASD severity and specific symptoms like verbal communication and intellectual functioning.

Conclusions:

  • Iodine deficiency and altered thyroid hormone levels are present in autistic boys.
  • Iodine status is associated with the severity of specific ASD symptoms.
  • Further research into the nonhormonal functions of iodine in autism is warranted.
Abstract

Keywords:
AutismIodineIon chromatographyUrine

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